That’s a Wrap (Free E-Books, 40+ New Printable Coupons and More!)

February 1, 2013 - 2 Comments

empty shelvesGiveaways, Freebies, and Hot Deals:

Exclusive Newspaper Deals {Oregonian, Denver Post, Utah and MORE

Free E-Books Tailgating Guru Plus More

Freebie Friday

Fab Friday Funny

A Word About Shelf Clearing… Revisited

 

Target Pampers Easy Ups Coupons You Want To Print:

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A Word About Shelf Clearing… Revisited

February 1, 2013 - 41 Comments

Is this what it’s come to?

empty shelves

Empty shelves?

  • People racing to the store to get the deal?
  • Couponers buying out the stores just for the thrill of the deal?
  • Shoppers who only want 3 or 4 items finding bare shelves?
  • Stores losing money because couponers don’t abide by coupon rules and limits?
  • Manufacturers cracking down on coupons?
  • Little old ladies searching for their favorite shampoo with no success because some crazy coupon shopper just HAD to take all 25 bottles (claiming it was all just couponing for charity)?

We’ve read your comments, we’ve seen the chats, we’ve received your frustrated emails… and we’ve experienced empty shelves ourselves! We are sad that this is an issue lately, thus we feel the need to revisit the topic again.

Your Options:

crying

You can get frustrated, angry, and give up, creating a resentment towards a wonderful money saving opportunity.

 OR

Relaxed child

You can take a deep breath, relax, and shake it off.  You can choose how you’ll react. THAT you can control.

Here are some tips to help you achieve your stockpile with a slow and steady (and patient) pace…

Slow and Steady Wins the Race!

  1. Don’t be the problem! Practice good coupon ethics.  This means:  you place an order if you want a lot of product, don’t take peelies off of products, don’t photocopy coupons, do be kind to your cashiers and those in line behind you… do all you can to give couponers a good name!
  2. Teach others to NOT be the problem! Got a friend who decided to coupon because they watched Extreme Couponing?  Teach them the realities of Extreme Couponing (that it’s NOT real)!  Teach them how to make couponing work… for everyone!
  3. Don’t feel the need to get every deal! Sales come back. So do coupons.
  4. Don’t feel the need to get a life time or even a years supply! Typically, many items will cycle through promos every 6-12 weeks.  That means, many items you can just purchase a 1-3 month supply of.  Keep expiration dates in mind!  Don’t buy 20 bottles of mayonnaise if you won’t use it before it expires.
  5. Abide by coupon wording, rules, and limits. Give couponers a good name.

#5 is the one we would like to stress today…

Some manufactures have started pulling back the reigns by limiting the number of items you can purchase in a transaction, shopping trip or day on their coupons. It appears that some couponers not abiding by these limitations has been a big issue lately. When you purchase more than the limit allowed, you are not only being dishonest, but you are being unfair to other shoppers, the stores, and the manufacturers who release the coupons.

 

Bounty Coupon

 

I’d like to share an experience I had this week:

I spent an hour gathering, clipping and organizing my coupons, then headed to the store Wednesday morning at 8:30. Being round up week, I was pretty excited to use up those smaller value coupons and get some great deals. One of the deals I was hoping to find was the Bounty Paper towels. The fine print on the $.25/1 Bounty Paper Towel coupon clearly states LIMIT OF 4 LIKE COUPONS PER HOUSEHOLD PER DAY, so I planned on getting my 4 then moving on. As I walked toward the aisle, a woman pushing a shopping cart FULL of the Bounty paper towel rolls quickly walked past me towards the registers. I got to the shelf where the Bounty rolls were supposed to be and there were none. Not a single one. I was bummed :( Not because I didn’t get any paper towels, but because it was 8:30 in the morning on the first day of the sale and the shelf was already EMPTY. Every other shopper that day would come in to find nothing left and leave bummed like me, all because one person decided to be selfish, dishonest and commit coupon fraud…

So What Do You Do To Avoid The Frustration?

  1. Find a new store! Do you live near a heavily couponed store?  Then find one that is less “shopped”.  A few extra miles may be worth less frustration and a happy shopper!
  2. Be Mindful of When you Shop - let’s face it… if it’s the last night of the sale, you just can’t plan on getting many of the deals you’d hoped for.  I carefully suggest you hit the sale earlier… please note that I’m NOT suggesting you sitting outside the front door at 6 am the first day of the sale!  (that’s when the visions of Black Friday start popping into my head!)
  3. I mentioned it before, but placing an order is a key part of building a stockpile.  If I want 20 boxes of dishwasher detergent, you can bet I’m going to place an order!  If I want 5 boxes of cereal, I probably won’t place an order unless it’s going to be a really hot item.  Communicate with your grocery manager!  They can become your BFF!
  4. Just ASK! Don’t be afraid to ask if there is more product in the back.  Sometimes they’ve been so busy, they haven’t been able to keep up with the demand.  It never hurts to ask.  If they’re out…
  5. Find out when the store gets shipments in! Then plan you shopping trips around those times.
  6. Call before you go! My favorite stores are stored on my cell phone!  Call your nearest 3 stores and check on your top 3 items.  Are they in stock?  This will help you decide if it’s worth a trip to the store.
  7. Ask for a raincheck - most stores will give you a raincheck so you can still have that sale price when they get more product in stock.  Mel has had instances at Rite Aid where this worked in her favor!

One Last Thought… Couponing for Charity

 

 

First things first. We are all about giving. Using couponing as a tool to help bless the lives of others is truly awesome.  BUT shelf clearing in the name of charity is not OK.  Here’s why we feel this way:

  1. Remember that there are MANY MANY couponers whose couponing habits are keeping their families off of food stamps (thus saving tax payer dollars!).
  2. Some couponers aren’t trying to build a massive stockpile, but just need to feed their families that week.   When the shelves are empty, they don’t have a huge stockpile to fall back on.
  3. Think about it… is your true intent to experience the high of saving and justify it by giving?  That’s a great way to get your high… but not at the expense of others.  Just don’t forget about your fellow couponers.

How You Can Coupon & Give Without Depriving Other Couponers:

  1. Consider just donating from your personal stockpile.  That way the only shelves you’re taking product from are your own! Let’s face it… there are many couponers who just have too much!
  2. If you want to score some great deals and donate the product, then place an order! {see above}
  3. Shop a little bit at a time, in moderation.  Remember there are other couponers who aren’t asking for charity, they simply want to feed their families and be self sufficient during difficult times.

You might also like to read…

This is a bit of a lengthy post, but as you can tell, these are some things we Fabs feel strongly about. We appreciate you taking the time to read it.

Learn how to extreme coupon the right way and save loads of money  on our 90-minute DVD! Use coupon code ‘FABFRUGAL’ to get it 50% off!

{Pin This}

What are your thoughts?

Please be kind in your comments.  We are anticipating differences of opinion but also wish to maintain a respectful tone.  Thanks in advance!

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The Crazy Diaper Lady

October 31, 2012 - 1 Comment

Extreme Couponing Education

For this week’s Extreme Coupon Education post I am going to re-visit and old post. Because they don’t tell you everything on reality television we are here to reveal the secrets of Extreme Couponing.

Have you ever had a confrontation with a fellow couponer in the store?

I have and it was horrible.

It was January 09, 2009 the year of the EPIC Diaper Deal. It was very early in my couponing days and I was still trying to figure things out. I had been trying to figure out the Albertson’s diaper deal and finally had it figured out by reading in forums (There were not many blogs back then). I went to Albertsons and they were all out of diapers. I got a bigger pack and went up front to see if it would work with the deal. After talking to the ladies in the front for 25 minutes it did not seem like it would. So they recommended I call in the morning and see if the right package size was back in stock.

The next morning I called and they told me that they had just finished stocking the shelves. So I loaded up my children and went to the store. I headed straight for the diaper aisle. As I made my way down the aisle I could see a lady with her cart jam packed full of Pamper’s Diapers in the Jumbo Size. The diapers I needed for the deal! Read the rest of my crazy diaper lady story.

Learn more coupon tips…

 

 

 

Speaking of  Diaper Coupons! Here is a new $3.00 off ONE (1) HUGGIES Snug & Dry Diapers coupon available to print. If you purchase diapers on a regular basis you know is this a fab coupon. Make sure you print it twice!

$3.00 off ONE (1) HUGGIES Snug & Dry Diapers

Deal Scenario:

Walmart:

Buy 1 Huggies Snug & Dry Diapers $9.47
Use (1)  $3.00 off ONE (1) HUGGIES Snug & Dry Diapers
Final Price: $6.47

Find more printable coupons!

 

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Avoid Leaving the Store Without The Deal! { Extreme Coupon Education }

September 26, 2012 - 3 Comments

 

You do not have to leave the store disappointing and with out a deal when couponing. Even with crazy extreme couponers clearing the shelves there are ways to avoid missing out on the deal. Because they don’t tell you everything on reality television we are here to reveal the secrets of Extreme Couponing. TLC’s Extreme Couponing is really not about education it is more about entertainment. Our goal is to educate you and empower you to save money for your family.

Has this ever happened to you? You find a great deal! Giddy with excitement you take time to print coupons, organize coupons, drive to your local store and find the place where the item SHOULD be in your store. Only to be heart broken by empty shelves. Someone TOOK ALL OF THE PRODUCT! Well maybe? But maybe 20 someones got there before you and each took 2-3. Empty shelves can be common when lots of great deals are circulating through the stores you shop. You do not have to leave the store without the deal. I first addressed this in my post Fabuless Coupon Tip Tuesday: How to Avoid Leaving the Store without the Deal. I thought it was about time we revisited these ideas.

Shelf clearing is not cool, we do not even think it is cool to clear a shelf in the name of charity. I have seen many cleared shelves in my couponing days. Remember the crazy diaper lady? Even after 4 years of many cleared shelves I still find it worth my time to coupon if I remember to use these strategies…

Eight Ways to Avoid Leaving the Store Empty Handed

Place an order of the items you really want or need a lot of. You can do this with your manager or at customer service. It can be done on the phone or in person. Here are some details on how to place an order.

Get a rain check(s) for the item(s) out of stock. You can not get a rain check for a catalina, but you can get a rain check on most store coupons and store sale prices.

Choose another store! Some stores are overloaded with coupon shoppers and are always going to get cleaned out. Some stores are within a demographic that has many coupon shoppers. Shop in the area of town that does not have lot’s of couponers. It is always worth a few extra miles for a hassle free shopping trip.

Don’t wait until the last day of the sale to shop, your store is likely to be out of the items you need!

Learn your stores ordering schedule. Then shop on the days you know they will be stocked. Many stores receive shipments 3 times a week and it is always the same three days. Keep in mind the time of day the shipments come in too. So you don’t show up a few hours before it arrives.

Don’t be afraid to ask if they have items in the back. Many times the store has just not had time to re-stock. If you ask a grocery manager they may be able to get you more product from the back.

Call right before you leave to see if your top 3 items are in stock. That will help you decide if it is worth a trip to the store. Try your three closest stores and choose the one that is stocked the best.

Be a team player- Be a part of the solution not the problem. Never clear a shelf. Avoid taking more product than you can reasonably use before it expires.

Feel free to add in the comments any tips you have to make the shopping trip worth while!

I hope these tip help YOU! I hope everyone will remember to be considerate of other shoppers when making your coupon shopping trips! It is up to us (you and me) to give couponers a good name.

Learn the 7 Secrets of Successful Couponing

in our 90-minute DVD!

More Coupon Education Resources:

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Walmart Deals As Of 9/17/12 {CHEAP Farm Rich Snacks, Truvia, Jell-O, Herbal Essences, Pantene, Halls Drops and MORE!}

September 17, 2012 - 19 Comments

New to shopping at Walmart? Start here:

Walmart Key

Because Walmart IS the generic/mass/superstore, the brown star on this match-up represents items on sale or (Rollback). These items are priced lower then the everyday price.

No star- Means ok price, pick it up if you’re there and you need it.
★ -Means item is currently on Rollback (sale). Grab a few, but wait for a better deal to stock up.
★ - Means awesome price! Stock up, buy only what you know you and your family will use :)

Please read…

Thank you reader Rae for the heads up on this notice that was posted at every register in the Nampa ID 12th Ave/Greenhurst Walmart store. This is not the case in all stores but it soon could be if we all don’t do our part to protect couponing!

 

Attention Valued Coupon Customers:

Effective immediately we will no longer honor any internet coupons printed in black and white or photo copied. To comply with the manufacturer’s rules regarding our redemption of these coupons, they will need to be printed in color with the distinguishing marks. For example, coupons printed at Coupons.com will have a green dot on the borders. This will be required for us to accept these coupons going forward. We will not accept any of these coupons NOT printed in color or photo copied.

Thank you for your understanding and continued loyalty. I appreciate every one of you. If you need further clarification, please ask.

The Manager

 

*Soap Box Alert*

 

I was a little shocked to see this sign at my store. But then again… I wasn’t. During the last round up week, a Walmart cashier told me that she had just had a woman come to her check out with THREE shopping carts full of items and a stack of more than 100 fraudulent and photo copied coupons! When the cashier realized they were fake, the woman quickly left the store and they were not able to find her. I talked with another cashier today who said this change is due to the increasing amount of fraud and misuse of coupons.

This makes me sad :(

I have been couponing as a lifestyle for several years now. Over those years I’ve watched the coupon values get smaller, the limits set lower, the rules made stricter and hot deals harder to come by. Some weeks I entirely give up because the shelves remain empty the entire week. I am sure many of you feel the same way. This is frustrating for all of us. What I am really wanting to say is, those of you who are knowingly bending the rules, clearing shelves, photo copying, using fraudulent coupons and being dishonest, PLEASE reconsider your actions and how they will effect everyone else. Integrity is not worth sacrificing for a couple of dollars.

Let’s all do our part and give couponers a good name! :)

Now on to the deals!

 

Walmart Price Match Deals
Display All Matchups
Walmart Frozen
Walmart Grocery
Walmart Dairy/Refrigerated
Walmart Household/Cleaning
Walmart Baby/Kids
Walmart Beauty/Personal Care
Walmart Health Care
Select All | Un-Select All

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Extreme Couponing Education: Don’t Be A Crazy Lady!

May 16, 2012 - 41 Comments

Because they don’t tell you everything on reality television we are here to reveal the secrets of Extreme Couponing.

Have you ever had a confrontation with a fellow couponer in the store? I have and it was horrible.

It was January 09, 2009 the year of the EPIC Diaper Deal. It was very early in my couponing days and I was still trying to figure things out. I had been trying to figure out the Albertson’s diaper deal and finally had it figured out by reading in forums (There were not many blogs back then). I went to Albertsons and they were all out of diapers. I got a bigger pack and went up front to see if it would work with the deal. After talking to the ladies in the front for 25 minutes it did not seem like it would. So they recommended I call in the morning and see if the right package size was back in stock.

The next morning I called and they told me that they had just finished stocking the shelves. So I loaded up my children and went to the store. I headed straight for the diaper aisle. As I made my way down the aisle I could see a lady with her cart jam packed full of Pamper’s Diapers in the Jumbo Size. The diapers I needed for the deal! I looked up to see about 6 packs left in the size 3 which is what I needed. I jokingly asked her if she was going to take all of the diapers. This is how the conversation went…

CRAZY LADY: ya all of the diapers left on the shelf I am saving for my friend.
ME: Really I said, but your friend is not here.
CRAZY LADY: Well she just called me and she is coming.
ME: Well I am sure it wouldn’t be a big deal if I just took three.
CRAZY LADY: You can have any of those other box packages.
ME: Well those are not part of the deal you know that.
CRAZY LADY: All I know is that my friend told me to come and get these diapers.

I went to reach for the diapers and she flipped. Trying to grab them before I could.  I managed to get two packages off the shelf and the ranting began.

CRAZY LADY: I can’t believe you are doing this. I have been here for 1 1/2 hours waiting for these diapers.
ME: I am sorry, but you can’t just save diapers on the shelf.
CRAZY LADY: Well they reserved all of these diapers for me (If they did that they would have been in the back, she was such a liar).
ME: Well I am sure you will be fine you have whole cart full (the lower section and the whole basket). I really just need one more to do the deal. (I was hoping she would see how stupid she was being and give me one package) I guess I was hoping she would come to her senses.
CRAZY LADY: Well I need all these diapers.
ME: Well I need diapers too, (pointing to me infant in the cart.)
CRAZY LADY: I came here last night to get them and they were out.
ME: So did I.

Finally I realized she was not going to relent and I was not about to take any diapers from her cart so I decided I would grab a bag of size 4 off the shelf and move on.

ME: You know if you don’t know the deal you are going to have to pay a lot more for those diapers, I will tell you if you just give me a pack of 3′s. (I kind of wanted to see if she was lying about her knowledge. You have to buy the diapers in sets of three in different transactions or you will not get your $20 back.)
CRAZY LADY: Oh I know that you have to but them in sets of 3.

I started to make my way down the aisle I had sick feeling in my stomach. I do not like confrontation and it just was icky to me fighting with a grown woman in a grocery store. I turned around and said,

ME: I am sorry I upset you. I really didn’t think it would be a big deal.
CRAZY LADY: Well I was just trying to be a good friend and get some diapers for my friend. She has seven kids.
ME: I think there will be plenty of diapers for her.
CRAZY LADY: Well I just needed the size 3. (She had multiple sizes in the cart)

I started to walk away and then decided with such a good deal maybe I should get some size 4. I turn around and she is putting the size 4 in her cart. I watch her for a minute thinking she might be about done b/c her cart will not fit anymore diapers. She starts to walk away and a couple of Albertson’s managers come up to her and tell her that the deal does not work at all Albertson’s that it is only some stores. That it was not advertised in their ad and she begins her rant and I head off.

I debated, are they right about it not working here? I know that it worked yesterday because the employee’s told me that people did it yesterday in that store. I decided I would try it and if it did not work just return the diapers. Three packages would not be a big deal. I went through the line and presto just like I read….. To see the amazing diaper deal read the original Beware of Crazy Shoppers.

 

Soon after this experience as I continued to coupon I learned that diaper deals come back! This was not the last good diaper deal of the century. But I also learned that NO COUPON DEAL IS WORTH ACTING LIKE A CRAZY PERSON. It was a huge eye opener to me and has always helped me to remember that I am not the only person wanting to get good deals and I want to be careful that I am always considerate of others. Have you ever had a confrontation with another couponer? What would you have done in my shoes? Oh do you like my shoes? I got them from Famous Footwear.

Learn more coupon tips…

 

 

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Extreme Couponing Education: Shelf Clearing For Charity

May 2, 2012 - 90 Comments

Because they don’t tell you everything on reality television we are here to reveal the secrets of Extreme Couponing.

I have always had a strong opinion about couponing for charity but I tend to keep it to myself to avoid conflict. I hate contention! But based on the comments I read in this post last week I thought it might be time to share my opinion and open this subject up for discussion.

Say no to shelf clearing in the name of charity.

I think that it is very noble to give of your sustenance to help other people in this world. I believe that if you have extra items in your coupon stockpile it is wonderful to give them to others in need. Heck, that is one of the reasons I love couponing. I love having an abundance and being able to share it with others.

What I do not believe in is clearing the shelves in the name of charity. Some people go from store to store clearing out the deals to take the free items to the local shelter or food pantry. The reason I have a problem with this is because there are people who are couponing to survive. People who use coupons to keep their family off of welfare. People who use coupons to keep their homes from going into foreclosure. When the shelves are empty of the good deals these people are robbed of their ability to remain self sufficient.

coupon for charity

I want you to give to charity.

It is all about keeping things in moderation. Just like we never recommend shelf clearing for your personal stockpile building we do not recommend it for giving to charity. So similarly we recommend stockpiling at a moderate pace, coupon for charity at a moderate place. When you see a fab deal on free deodorant grab a few extra to donate, but be sure you are leaving some behind for others. You can also call your store ahead of time and place and order so that you are not taking away for the product orders for the sale.

Now when I say discussion I mean respectful discussion. Remember I said I hate contention. I do not want to see any fighting in the comments, but I want to know your thoughts. What you have seen, what you have done, tips and tricks you have learned along the way. God bless those of you that donate your time, talents and stockpiles to charity, but let’s also remember the fellow couponer who just might be couponing to survive.

Learn more coupon tips…

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A Word About Shelf Clearing

May 17, 2011 - 274 Comments

Is this what it’s come to?

Has grocery shopping turned into a Black-Friday-like experience?

  • People racing to the store to get the deal?
  • Couponers buying out the stores just for the thrill of the deal?
  • Shoppers who only want 3 or 4 items finding bare shelves?
  • Little old ladies searching for their favorite shampoo with no success because some crazy coupon shopper just HAD to take all 25 bottles (claiming it was for charity)?

We’ve read your comments, we’ve seen the chats, we’ve received your frustrated emails… and we’ve experienced empty shelves ourselves!

Why the sudden onslaught of EMPTY SHELVES?

Here’s my opinion.  Based on fact, assumption, and my street smarts.  ;)

  • FACT: TLC’s Extreme Couponing has brought couponing to an intense level of awareness.   Look what happened to the traffic on our site the month Extreme Couponing first aired.  That’s huge.  We nearly doubled our traffic in one month.  Not gonna lie, it’s been good for business… but man it sure stinks for our coupon shopping trips!
  • FACT:  The interest in coupons has heightened over the last few months.  This chart shows the increase of google searches for the keywords “grocery coupons” in the past 12 months.  Look how it’s exploded! (source: google keyword tool)
  • ASSUMPTION:  For many, their first exposure to the way we’ve been couponing the past few years, has been via TLC’s Extreme Couponing.
  • STREET SMARTS:  What are these impressionable new couponers learning from this show?  This show exemplifies that shelf clearing is normal, that they’ve got to have a dedicated room in their home to store their stockpile… even though they have a family of 2, that unethical coupon practices aren’t a big deal (referencing J’aime Kerlew in this post).
  • FACT:  The stores can’t keep up with the onslaught of new couponers.  They’re experiencing growing pains!  Will we see them order 3 x’s as much product?  Probably not.  Will we see some managers limiting the amount of product couponers can buy?  Maybe so!  Believe me, the store managers are frustrated as well!  They don’t want a bunch of dissatisfied shoppers (remember there are NON-couponers that shop at their stores too!)
  • ASSUMPTION:  These new couponers will get burnt out chasing every single deal.  We don’t recommend couponing that way!
  • FACT:  The deals WILL come back!   There is no need to buy a lifetime supply of  toothpaste, mustard, or toilet paper.

So Now What?!

You can get frustrated, angry, and give up. Where is the anger and frustration coming from?  It comes from the unrealized expectations of scoring at the grocery store… of getting all the items (or in some cases just a few items) on your shopping list.

OR

You can take a deep breath, relax, and shake it off.  You can choose how you’ll react.  THAT you do have control over. Here are some tips to help you achieve your stockpile with a slow and steady (and patient) pace…

Slow and Steady Wins the Race!

  1. Don’t be the problem! Practice good coupon ethics.  This means:  you place an order if you want a lot of product, don’t take peelies off of products, don’t photocopy coupons, do be kind to your cashiers and those in line behind you… do all you can to give couponers a good name!
  2. Teach others to NOT be the problem! Got a friend who decided to coupon because they watched Extreme Couponing?  Teach them the realities of Extreme Couponing (that it’s NOT real)!  Teach them how to make couponing work… for everyone!
  3. Don’t feel the need to get every deal! Can I admit something to you?  I have NEVER EVER done a coupon shopping trip at Rite Aid.  Ever. Not because I don’t think they have awesome deals, clearly they do!  The closest Rite Aid to me is about 4 miles away.  I rarely drive that direction, and it’s just not convenient for me to shop there.  SO, that means I miss Rite Aid deals!  Guess what – I’m OK with that!  :)
  4. Don’t feel the need to get a life time or even a years supply! Typically, many items will cycle through promos every 6-12 weeks.  That means, many items you can just purchase a 1-3 month supply of.  Keep expiration dates in mind!  Don’t buy 20 bottles of mayonnaise if you won’t use it before it expires.  Extreme Couponing can make a person feel like they have to “keep up” with that massive stockpile.  An EXTREME stockpile just isn’t the norm.  Don’t expect that of yourself!

Tired of Empty Shelves?

  1. Find a new store! Do you live near a heavily couponed store?  Then find one that is less “shopped”.  A few extra miles may be worth less frustration and a happy shopper!
  2. Be Mindful of When you Shop – let’s face it… if it’s the last night of the sale, you just can’t plan on getting many of the deals you’d hoped for.  I carefully suggest you hit the sale earlier… please note that I’m NOT suggesting you sitting outside the front door at 6 am the first day of the sale!  (that’s when the visions of Black Friday start popping into my head!)
  3. I mentioned it before, but placing an order is a key part of building a stockpile.  If I want 20 boxes of dishwasher detergent, you can bet I’m going to place an order!  If I want 5 boxes of cereal, I WON’T place an order.  Communicate with your grocery manager!  They can become your BFF!
  4. Just ASK! Don’t be afraid to ask if there is more product in the back.  Sometimes they’ve been so busy, they haven’t been able to keep up with the demand.  It never hurts to ask.  If they’re out…
  5. Find out when the store gets shipments in! Then plan you shopping trips around those times.
  6. Call before you go! My favorite stores are stored on my cell phone!  Call your nearest 3 stores and check on your top 3 items.  Are they in stock?  This will help you decide if it’s worth a trip to the store.
  7. Ask for a raincheck - most stores will give you a raincheck so you can still have that sale price when they get more product in stock.  Mel has had instances at Rite Aid where this worked in her favor!

One Last Thought… Couponing for Charity

First things first.  I’m all about giving. Using couponing as a tool to help bless the lives of others is truly awesome.  BUT (yes, I feel there is a necessary time but), shelf clearing in the name of charity isn’t OK.  Here’s why we feel this way:

  1. Remember that there are MANY MANY couponers whose couponing habits are keeping their families off of food stamps (thus saving tax payer dollars!).
  2. Some couponers aren’t trying to build a massive stockpile, but just need to feed their families that week.   When the shelves are empty, they don’t have a huge stockpile to fall back on.
  3. Think about it… is your true intent to experience the high of saving and justify it by giving?  That’s a great way to get your high… but not at the expense of others.  Just don’t forget about your fellow couponers.

How You Can Coupon & Give Without Depriving Other Couponers:

  1. Consider just donating from your personal stockpile.  That way the only shelves you’re taking product from are your own!  Let’s face it… there are many couponers who just have too much!
  2. If you want to score some great deals and donate the product, then place an order! {see above}
  3. Shop a little bit at a time, in moderation.  Remember there are other couponers who aren’t asking for charity, they simply want to feed their families and be self sufficient during difficult times.

I realize this was a lengthy post.  But it is something that has been on my mind for quite awhile lately.  Us fab fruGALs have been very concerned about the effect Extreme Couponing has had on coupon shopping.  We realize our voice isn’t quite loud enough to be heard on top of all the noise that big television network is making, we just couldn’t sit back and be quiet.

For me personally, couponing has truly blessed my life.  I found it a mere 7 months before my husband lost his job in 2009.  It’s kept my large family of 9 off of foodstamps while we’ve waded through more than 2 years of unemployment.  I for one like couponing… and I hope that in the end, good coupon ethics will prevail!

What are your thoughts?

What did I leave out?  Where do you think I’m wrong?  Or do you agree with me and think I’m spot on?

 

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